The Church of St Margaret, Westminster Abbey is in the grounds of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

on Parliament Square, London, England. It is dedicated to Margaret of Antioch, and forms part of a single

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

with the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...

and

History and description

The church was founded in the twelfth century by Benedictine monks, so that local people who lived in the area around the Abbey could worship separately at their own simpler parish church, and historically it was within the hundred of Ossulstone in the county of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

. In 1914, in a preface to ''Memorials of St. Margaret's Church, Westminster'', a former Rector of St Margaret's, Hensley Henson, reported a mediaeval tradition that the church was as old as

, owing its origins to the same royal saint, and that "The two churches, conventual and parochial, have stood side by side for more than eight centuries – not, of course, the existing fabrics, but older churches of which the existing fabrics are successors on the same site." St Margaret's was rebuilt from 1486 to 1523, at the instigation of King Henry VII, and the new church, which largely still stands today, was consecrated on 9 April 1523. It has been called "the last church in London decorated in the Catholic tradition before the Reformation", and on each side of a large

rood A rood or rood cross, sometimes known as a triumphal cross, is a cross or crucifix, especially the large crucifix set above the entrance to the chancel of a medieval church. Alternatively, it is a large sculpture or painting of the crucifixio ...

cross there stood richly painted statues of St Mary and St John, while the building had several internal chapels. In the 1540s, the new church came near to demolition, when

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp (150022 January 1552) was an English nobleman and politician who served as Lord Protector of England from 1547 to 1549 during the minority of his nephew King E ...

, planned to take it down to provide good-quality materials for

Somerset House Somerset House is a large neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building complex situated on the south side of the Strand, London, Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadran ...

, his own new palace in the Strand. He was only kept from carrying out his plan by the resistance of armed parishioners. In 1614, St Margaret's became the parish church of the

, when the

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...

s of the seventeenth century, unhappy with the highly liturgical Abbey, chose to hold their Parliamentary services in a church they found more suitable: a practice that has continued since that time. An additional detached burial ground was added in 1625 at what is now Christchurch Gardens. Between 1734 and 1738, the north-west tower was rebuilt to designs by John James; at the same time, the whole structure was encased in Portland stone. Both the eastern and the western porch were added later, with J. L. Pearson as architect. In 1878, the church's interior was greatly restored and altered to its current appearance by

Sir George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he ...

, although many Tudor features were retained. In 1863, during preliminary explorations preparing for this restoration, Scott found several doors overlaid with what was believed to be human skin. After doctors had examined this skin, Victorian historians theorized that the skin might have been that of William the Sacrist, who organized a gang that, in 1303, robbed the

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

of the equivalent of, in modern currency, $100 million (see Richard of Pudlicott). It was a complex scheme, involving several gang members disguised as monks planting bushes on the palace. After the stealthy burglary six months later, the loot was concealed in these bushes. The historians believed that William the Sacrist was flayed alive as punishment and his skin was used to make these royal doors, perhaps situated initially at nearby Westminster Palace. Subsequent study revealed that the skins were bovine in origin, not human. By the 1970s, the number of people living nearby was in the hundreds. Ecclesiastical responsibility for the parish was reallocated to neighbouring parishes by the Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret Westminster Act 1972, and the church was brought under the authority of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey. An annual new year service for the

Coptic Orthodox Church The Coptic Orthodox Church (), also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt. The head of the church and the See of Alexandria is the pope of Alexandria on the Holy Apo ...

in Britain takes place in the church in October, and in 2016 Bishop Angaelos gave the sermon. The Rector of St Margaret's is often a canon of Westminster Abbey.

Commemorative windows

Notable windows include the east window of 1509 of Flemish

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

, created to commemorate the betrothal of

Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England as the Wives of Henry VIII, first wife of King Henry VIII from their marr ...

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

. This has had a chequered history. It was given by Henry VII to Waltham Abbey in Essex, and at the Dissolution of the Monasteries the last Abbot sent it to a private chapel at New Hall, Essex. That came into the possession of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, the father of

Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...

, then Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, next

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham ( ; 20 August 1592 – 23 August 1628), was an English courtier, statesman, and patron of the arts. He was a favourite and self-described "lover" of King James VI and I. Buckingham remained at the heigh ...

, after him

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

, from whom it reverted to the second Duke of Buckingham, next General Monk, Duke of Albemarle, and after him John Olmius, then Mr Conyers of Copt Hall, Essex, whose son sold the window to the parish of St Margaret's in 1758, for 400

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...

. The money came from a grant of £4,000, which parliament had made to the parish that year for the renovation of the church and the rebuilding of the chancel.Wheatley, H. B., and Peter Cunningham, ''London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions'', p. 467. Other windows commemorate

William Caxton William Caxton () was an English merchant, diplomat and writer. He is thought to be the first person to introduce a printing press into Kingdom of England, England in 1476, and as a Printer (publishing), printer to be the first English retailer ...

, England's first printer, who was buried at the church in 1491,

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellio ...

, executed in Old Palace Yard and then also buried in the church in 1618, the poet

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant. His 1667 epic poem ''Paradise Lost'' was written in blank verse and included 12 books, written in a time of immense religious flux and politic ...

, a parishioner of the church, and Admiral Robert Blake. The Victorian glass that once filled the eight bays of the south aisle was destroyed by enemy action during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1966, all eight windows were provided with new glass designed by John Piper and made by his longtime collaborator Patrick Reyntiens. Piper's unified scheme filled each window with an uncompromisingly modern abstract design, intended to create a "total impression of living radiance, in shades of silvery grey predominantly with splashes of pale greens, yellows and blues in varied density, to filter the daylight." The new windows were dedicated on 15 January 1967 in memory of Canon Carnegie and his wife, Peter Kemp-Welch, Clarence Fletcher and Richard Costain.

Weddings

As well as marrying its own parishioners, the church has long been a popular venue for society weddings, as Members of Parliament, peers, and officers of the House of Lords and House of Commons can choose to be married in it. Notable weddings include: *5 July 1631: Edmund Waller and Anne Banks, who was an heiress and a ward of the Court of Aldermen, were married at the church in defiance of orders of the Court and the

Privy Council of England The Privy Council of England, also known as His (or Her) Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (), was a body of advisers to the List of English monarchs, sovereign of the Kingdom of England. Its members were often senior members of the House ...

. Waller had previously carried the bride off and been forced to return her. On a complaint being made to the

Star Chamber The court of Star Chamber () was an English court that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster, from the late to the mid-17th century (), and was composed of privy counsellors and common-law judges, to supplement the judicial activities of the ...

, Waller was pardoned by King Charles I. * 13 May 1654: Lady Mary Springett (

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...

's mother-in-law) and Isaac Pennington * 1 December 1655:

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...

and Elisabeth Marchant de St. Michel * 12 November 1656:

and Katherine Woodcock * 12 June 1895: William Hicks and Grace Lynn Joynson * 12 September 1908:

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

and Clementine Hozier * 21 April 1920:

Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Nickn ...

, and Lady Dorothy Cavendish * 18 July 1922: Lord Louis Mountbatten, and Edwina Ashley * 8 October 1993: David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, and the Hon. Serena Stanhope Other notable weddings include some of the Bright Young People.

Baptisms

* Charles Weston, 3rd Earl of Portland, 19 May 1639 * Barbara Villiers, only child of Lord Grandison and a future

royal mistress A royal mistress is the historical position and sometimes unofficial title of the extramarital lover of a monarch or an heir apparent, who was expected to provide certain services, such as sexual or romantic intimacy, companionship, and advice ...

of King Charles II, was christened in the church on 27 November 1640. *

Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax (16 April 1661 – 19 May 1715) was an England, English statesman and poet. He was the grandson of the Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, 1st Earl of Manchester and was eventually ennobled himself, firs ...

, was christened in the church on 12 May 1661''

The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1907, ceasing publication altogether in 1922. It was the first to use the term ''m ...

'', Volume 189 (1850), pp. 367, 368 *

Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland Charles Palmer, later Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton, Chief Butler of England (18 June 16629 September 1730) was an English nobleman and illegitimate son of Charles II. He was styled Baron Limerick before 1670 ...

, eldest son of Barbara Villiers, was christened in the church on 16 June 1662, when the father's name was given as her husband, Lord Castlemaine, instead of as the King, who later acknowledged the child as his. In October 1850 ''

'' reported this entry and claimed it as "an untruth" and "a new fact in the secret history of Charles II". * Thomas Pelham-Clinton, 3rd Duke of Newcastle, 28 July 1752 * Olaudah Equiano, a slave who bought his freedom, becoming a key

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

, was christened as Gustavus on 9 February 1759, when he was described in the parish register as "Gustavus Vassa a Black born in Carolina 12 years old".

Burials

, 1491 * John Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley, "Lord Quondam", 18 September 1553; and his wife Lady Cicely Grey, 28 April 1554 * Nicholas Ludford, 1557 * John Sheppard, December 1558, composer * Blanche Parry, 1590 * Thomas Churchyard, 1604, Elizabethan poet, soldier and courtier *

, 1618 * William Murray, 2nd Earl of Tullibardine, 30 July 1627 * Edward Grimeston, 14 December 1640 *Following the Restoration of the Monarchy, in 1661 several Parliamentarians who had been buried in Westminster Abbey, Admiral Robert Blake, Denis Bond, Nicholas Boscawen, Mary Bradshaw, Sir William Constable, Admiral Richard Deane, Isaac Dorislaus, Anne Fleetwood, Thomas Hesilrige, Humphrey Mackworth, Stephen Marshall, Thomas May, John Meldrum, Admiral Edward Popham,

John Pym John Pym (20 May 1584 – 8 December 1643) was an English politician and administrator who played a major role in establishing what would become the modern Westminster system, English Parliamentary system. One of the Five Members whose attempte ...

, Humphrey Salwey, William Strong, William Strode, and William Twisse, were all disinterred from there and reburied in an unmarked pit in St Margaret's churchyard, on the orders of King Charles II. A memorial to them is set into the external wall to the left of the main west entrance. *Mary avies orn 1675Widow of Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet; she is buried in the courtyard close to the north porch of the church * Wenceslas Hollar, March 1677 * Thomas Blood, 1680 * John West, 6th Baron De La Warr, 1723 *Bishop Nicholas Clagett, 1746 * Elizabeth Elstob, scholar and early feminist, 1756. * Ignatius Sancho, composer, writer, slavery abolitionist, 1780 * Henry Constantine Jennings, 1819

Funerals and memorial services

* Jeremy Thorpe, ex-leader of Liberal Party * Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon * Lady Elizabeth Shakerley

Other notable events

On Easter day 1555 in the reign of

Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She made vigorous a ...

a Protestant ex-Benedictine monk, William Flower inflicted wounds to the administerer of the sacrament. He repented for the injuries but would not repent his motive which was rejection of the doctrine of

transubstantiation Transubstantiation (; Greek language, Greek: μετουσίωσις ''metousiosis'') is, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, "the change of the whole substance of sacramental bread, bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and ...

. He was thus sentenced for heresy and a week later severed of his hand and burned at the stake outside the church. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Edward Lyttelton, headmaster of Eton, gave a sermon in the church on the theme of "loving your enemies", promoting the view that any post-war treaty with Germany should be a just one and not vindictive. He had to leave the church after the service by a back door, while a number of demonstrators sang "

Rule, Britannia! "Rule, Britannia!" is a British patriotic song, originating from the 1740 poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in the same year. It is most strongly associated with the Royal Navy, but is also used by th ...

" in protest at his attitude.

Choirs

Until 2019, the treble choristers for St Margaret's were supplied by Westminster Under School. In September 2023, a new choir for girls aged 11 to 17 was formed, to sing for regular liturgical services alongside the professional singers of the St Margaret's Consort. The church also hosted the first performance by the UK Parliament Choir under Simon Over in 2000.

Organ

An organ was installed in 1806 by John Avery. The current organ is largely built by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

Rectors

Mackenzie Walcott lists the following as ''officiating clergymen'': * Sir John Conyers, ''curate'' * Sir John Symes, ''curate'' * Mr. Hall, ''curate'' * Sir Robert Danby, ''curate'' * William Tenant, ''curate'' * 1594 William Drap * William Murrey * Prosper Styles, ''curate'' * Isaac Bargrave, ''minister'' * Gilbert Wymberly, ''minister'' * 1640 Stephen Marshall, ''lecturer'' * 1642 Samuel Gibson * 1644 Mr. Eaton, ''minister'' * 1649 John Binns * 1657 Mr. Wyner / Mr. Warmstree, ''lecturer'' * 1661 William Tucker, ''curate'' * William Owtram (also minister in 1664) * 1679–1683 Thomas Sprat * 1683–1724† Nicholas Onley * 1724–1730† Edward Gee * 1730–1734 James Hargrave * 1734–1753† Scawen Kenrick * 1753–1784† Thomas Wilson * 1784–1788† John Taylor * 1788–1796† Charles Wake * 1796–1827† Charles Fynes-Clinton * 1828–1835 James Webber Under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1840, this rectory was annexed to the canonry of Westminster Abbey then held by Henry Hart Milman, such that he and his successors as Canon would be Rector ''ex officio''. This arrangement continued until 1978. The Rector was often (and continuously from 1972 to 2010) also the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. * 1835–1849 Henry Hart Milman * 1849–1864† William Cureton * 1864–1876† William Conway * 1876–1895 Frederic Farrar (also Speaker's Chaplain from 1890) * 1895–1899 Robert Eyton * 1899–1900 Joseph Armitage Robinson * 1900–1912 Hensley Henson * 1912–1936† William Hartley Carnegie (also Speaker's Chaplain from 1916) * 1936–1940† Vernon Storr * 1941–1946 Alan Don (also Speaker's Chaplain since 1936) * 1946–1956 Charles Smyth * 1957–1969 Michael Stancliffe (also Speaker's Chaplain from 1961) * 1970–1978 David Edwards (also Speaker's Chaplain from 1972) * 1978–1982 John Baker (also Speaker's Chaplain) * 1982–1987 Trevor Beeson (also Speaker's Chaplain) * 1987–1998 Donald Gray (also Speaker's Chaplain) * 1998–2010 Robert Wright (also Speaker's Chaplain) * 2010–2016 Andrew Tremlett * 2016–2020 Jane Sinclair *2020 – date Anthony Ball † ''Rector died in post''

Organists and Directors of Music

Organists who have played at St Margaret's include: * Robert Whyte 1570–1574 *John Egglestone * John Parsons 1616–1621 (then organist of

) * John Hilton 1628 – 1657(?) * John Blow, 1695–???? * Bernard Smith, 1676–1708 *Henry Turner 1708–???? *John Illam ????–1726 * Edward Purcell, son of

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: ; September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer of Baroque music, most remembered for his more than 100 songs; a tragic opera, Dido and Aeneas, ''Dido and Aeneas''; and his incidental music to a version o ...

, 1726–1740 *James Butler 1740 – 1772 *William Rock 1774 – 1802 *Michael Rock 1802 – 1809 * John Bernard Sale 1809 – 1838 *T.G. Baines around 1864 * Walter Galpin Alcock ???? – 1896 * Edwin Lemare 1897 – 1902 * Reginald Goss-Custard 1902 – 1914 * Edwin Stephenson 1914 – 1922 (formerly organist of St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham) *Edgar Stanley Roper ? - 1929 (Also Organist & Composer to His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St. James' Palace) *Herbert Dawson 1929 – 1965 * Martin Neary 1965 – 1972 * Richard Hickox 1972 – 1982 * Thomas Trotter 1982- Directors of Music at St Margaret's have included Richard Hickox, Simon Over, Aidan Oliver and (currently) Greg Morris.

Gallery

Image:StMargeretsChurch-London-February2016.jpg, Explanatory plaque Image:saint.margarets.overall.london.arp.jpg, St Margaret's Church. To the left is the

Elizabeth Tower Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, Pars pro toto, by extension, for the clock tower itself, which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Originally named the Cl ...

of the

; to the right is the Abbey. Image:st.margarets.church.westminster.arp.750pix.jpg, St Margaret's, seen from the

London Eye The London Eye, originally the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid Tourist attractions in the ...

Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a big wheel, giant wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondola ...

Image:saint.margarets.interior.london.arp.jpg, The nave of St Margaret's Image:Flag of the Church of St Margaret Westminster Abbey.svg, Flag of St Margaret's, flown from the bell tower

References

External links

Guide to St. Margaret's

Memorials of St. Margaret's church, Westminster, comprising the parish registers, 1539–1660, and other churchwardens' accounts, 1460–1603
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westminster, Saint Margaret 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom Churches completed in 1523 16th-century Church of England church buildings Church of England church buildings in the City of Westminster World Heritage Sites in London John Loughborough Pearson buildings Grade I listed churches in the City of Westminster 12th-century church buildings in England